Convertible chair and couch.



No. 746,446. I PATENTED DEC. s, 1903.

F. s. BOWN. CONVERTIBLE CHAIR AND 0011011.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 14, 1903. N0 MODEL.

INVENTOI? A 770/?NE VS.

2 SHEETS-SHEET )1.

PAT-ENTED DEC. 8, 190.37.

P. SQBOWN. GONVERTIBLEVGHAIR AN'D COUCH.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 14. 1903.-

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

WITNESSES:

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Patented December 8, 1903.

UNITED STATES PATENT CFFIcE.

FREDERICK S. BOWN, OF CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA.

CONVERTIBLE CHAIR AN'D COUCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 746,446, dated December 8,. 1903.

Application filed January 14, 1903. SerialNo-139,005- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK S. BOWN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Charleston, in the county of Kanawha and State of West Virginia, have invented a new and Improved Convertible Chair and Couch, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to aconvertible chair and couch in which provision is made for changing the positions of the several parts, so that the structure maybe used as an easy or reclining chair or as a couch on which a person may recline, the several adjustments being secured without disconnecting either p of the several componentsof the structure.

Further objectsand advantages of the invention will appear in the course of the subjoined description, and the novelty will be defined by the annexed claims. 1

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my device adjusted for use as an easy-chair. Fig. 2 is another perspective view of the device unfolded and adapted to serve as a couch. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional elevation through the chair shown by Fig. 1, and Fig.,4 is a vertical cross-section at right angles to Fig. 3 and on the dotted line 4 4 of said Fig. 3.

A designates a seat-frame having the legs B at the corners thereof, and to the seat-frame A is hinged a movable seat member C, said seat member having a hinged connection 0 at f the front edge of the seat-frame A.

D designates the back of the chair, which 7 consists of a suitable frame having a hinged low the back D to fold downwardly into-abutting relation to the seat-frame, as will be understood by reference to Fig. 3.

The front legs B of the structure are provided with curved faces (9, and the rear legs are provided with similarly-curved faces I), said faces I) b forming seats for the members of the divided arms, the latter adapted to serve as supports for the seat member C and the back D'when they are unfolded to convert the chair into a couch, as will hereinback legs, as shown by Fig. 2.

after appear. Each arm consists of a member E, arranged to unfold in a forward direction with the seat member C, and another member F, adapted to be unfolded in a back- Ward direction and to serve as a support for the back D when the latter is lowered. The member E of the arm is provided with a curved bar 6 and with an inclined bar 6, and this arm member E is made fast with or secured to the movable seat member C in any suitable way, whereby the members E of the two arms are movable Withthe seat member 0 when the latter is opened or closed. The curved bars e of the two arm members conform to the shape of the recesses b, so that the arm members E may be supported by the front legs when said arms and the seat member C are unfolded, the curved bars e of the arm members fitting snugly on the seats afforded by the recesses 19.

The member F of each arm consists of a horizontal bar f, an inclined bar f, and a curved bar f said parts being made of one or more pieces, as desired. The bar f of each arm member F is curved to conform to the edge I) of the back legs, and the bar f of each arm member F is inclined correspondingly to the bar e of the companion arm member E. Said arm member E has its inclined bar e so arranged relative to the curved bar e as to form a shoulder 6 against which is adapted to abut the front end of the tapering arm member F. Y

The arm members F are hinged individually to the seat-frame A at the b ack portion thereof by suitablyconstructed hinges g,

- the same being so arranged as to permit the arm members F to be unfolded rearwardly and to bring the curved bars f thereof into engagement with the recessed edges 12 of the The members E F of each arm fold together into matching or registering relation, and each arm may be said to be divided on a diagonal line which extends upwardly and forwardly from the hinge g to the shoulder e of the arm E.

Each arm member E is also provided with a tongue h, which extends rearwardly from the shoulder e thereof. (See Fig. 1 and the dotted linesin Fig. 3.) The companion arm member F is provided with a cut-away portion 11, arranged to form a projecting tongue 1), as shown by Fig. 1, said tongues 72 t" of the two arm members E F adapted to have overlapping relation in order to make them fit compactly together when adjusted to form the arm, as shown by Figs. 1 and 3. The two members E F are held firmly in their matching relation by any suitable form of catch; but in the drawings I have represented a common type of fastener consisting of the hook I, pivoted to one arm member and adapted to engage with a stud I on the other arm member.

The back D is provided at its free or unconfined end with the retaining-blocks J, having the tonguesj, and when the arm members F are unfolded to their horizontal positions, as shown by Fig. 2, the tongues of said blocks J are adapted to overlap the tongues z" of the arm members F, thus retaining the back D in proper position between the arm members F.

K designates plates secured to the exposed faces of the bars f forming parts of the arm members F, and these plates are provided with a series of hooks 70, adapted to receive the adjustable rod L, said rod serving to support the back D in either of several adjusted positions in a manner well understood by Those skilled in the art.

The back D, the upper side of the seat-frame A, and both sides of the movable seat member 0 are upholstered in any appropriate way, substantially as shown by Figs. 1 and 2 and indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3.

Assuming that the structure is adjusted for use as a reclining-chair, as represented by Figs. 1 and 3, and it is desired to convert said chair into a couch, the operator proceeds as follows: The fasteners I are un latched, and the members F of the arms are unfolded for the bars f to rest on the seats I), after which the back D is lowered for the blocks J and the tongues j thereof to engage with the end portions and the tongues of the arm members F. The seat member 0, together with the arm members E, are now turned on the hinges c in a forward direction, so that the bars e will engage the seats 6 and the upholstered surfaces of the seat-frame A. The seat member 0 and the back D are thus exposed to form a suitable surface for the couch. The back D lies in the same horizontal plane with the upholstered surface of the seat-frame A; but the member 0 may be sustained by the arm members E in the inclined position shown by Fig. 2. To restore the structure to a reclining-chair, the seat member 0 and the arm members E are folded upwardly and baekwardly for the arms to rest on the seatframe A. The back D is now lifted from engagement with the arm members F, and the latter are folded upwardly and forwardly, so as to be brought again into matching relation with the arm members E. The operator now adjusts the catches I to hold the arm members in their alined relation, and the rod L is replaced in the books of the plates K to maintain the back at the desired inclination.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A convertible chair and couch, comprising a seat-frame, a movable seat member, a movable back, and sectional arms having the members thereof arranged to unfold in opposite directions and forming the supports for the seat member and the back respectively when in folded position.

2. A convertible chair and couch, consisting of a seat-frame, a movable seat member, a movable back, and sectional arms having the members thereof divided on diagonal lines, said members of the arms being foldable and unfoldable in opposite directions, and adapted in their unfolded positions to supportthe seat member and the back respectively.

3. A convertible chair and couch consisting of a seat-frame, sectional arms having matching members attached individually to the seat-frame and adapted to be unfolded in opposite directions, a movable seat member hinged to the seat-frame and adapted to unfold in one direction, and a movable back also hinged to the seat-frame and adjustable in an opposite direction to the seat member.

4. A convertible chair and couch comprising a seat-franc e, a pair of sectional arms each having the members thereof assembled in matching relation and adjustable in opposite directions, a hinged seat member connected to the front part of the seat-frame, and a back hinged to the opposite part of the seatframe.

5. A convertible chair and conch comprising a seat-frame, arms divided on inclined lines into matching members attached individually to the seat-frame and adapted to unfold in opposite directions, suitable means for holding the members of each arm in their matching relation, a movable seat member, and a movable back.

6. A convertible chair and couch comprising a seat-frame, divided arms having the members thereof provided with correspondingly-inclined bars arranged to rest one upon the other in their matching relation, a seat member hinged to the seat-frame and having one member of each arm made fast therewith,

and a back hinged to the rear portion of the seat-frame and adapted to be sustained in a horizontal position by the remaining members of the arms.

7. A convertible chair and couch comprising a seat-frame having arm-seats in the front edges thereof, a seat member hinged to the seat-frame, arms having surfaces to fit on the arm-seats, said arms and the seat member in their unfolded positions being supported in an inclined direction wholly by the seat frame, independently of engagement with a floor, a movable back unfoldable into alined relation with the seat frame, and

means for supporting the back in adjusted positions.

8. A convertible chair and couch comprising a seat-frame, a back member hinged to the seat-frame, arm-seats on the seat-frame below the hinged connection of the back member to said frame, and arms movable independently of the back member and adapted in their unfolded positions to engage the armseats and to be supported by the seat-frame; said arms supporting the back member free from a floor, or other surface.

9. A convertible chair and couch comprising a seat-frame having arm-seats at the front and rear portions thereof, divided arms having the members arranged to unfold into engagement with said arm -seats of the seatframe, a movable seat member, and a movable back.

10. A convertible chair and couch com prising a seat-frame having an upholstered surface, divided arms having members assembled in matching relation and unfoldable in opposite directions, a hinged seat memberhaving both surfaces thereof upholstered as desired, and a movable back having an upholstered surface adapted to form a continuation of the corresponding surface of the seatframe.

11-. In a convertible chair and couch, the combination with a seat-frame, a movable seat member, and a movable back, of divided arms having the members thereof assembled in matching relation,said members being provided with overlapping tongues, suitable catches for holding the arm members in their alined relation,and retaining-blocks provided with tongues and carried by the back to engage with the tongues of corresponding arm members when the latter are adjusted to support the back in its horizontal position.

12. A convertible chair and couch having a seat-frame, a movable seat, a movable back, and arms each having members adjustable into positions to support the back and the seat respectively in their unfolded positions, the members of the arms being adapted for assemblage to form an arm-rest.

13. A convertible chair and couch comprisinga seat-frame, arms each consisting of two members attached individually to the seatframe and unfoldable in opposite directions, a movable seat member adapted to be supported in its unfolded position by corresponding members of said arms, and a movable backsupported in its unfolded position by the remaining corresponding members of the arms.

14. A convertible chair and couch comprising a seat-frame, arms each consisting of two members which are attached individually to the seat-frame and are unfoldable in opposite directions, a movable seat-frame connected to and adjustable with corresponding members of the arms and supported thereby in an unfolded position, and a movable back adjustable independently of the arms and supportedin its unfolded position by corresponding members of the arms.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK S. BOWN.

Witnesses:

J NO. M. BITTER, H. F. BERNHARD. 

